Science-Based Tools for Increasing Happiness

11/14/22 • 141 min

7 Listeners

I explain the science of happiness, including the different types of happiness and how our actions, circumstances and mindset control them. While it is difficult to standardize happiness from one person to the next, I outline a structured framework of what is critical to increasing your innate “natural happiness,” including financial security, purposeful work and relationships, and I explain specific tools to increase internal happiness (so-called “synthetic happiness”). I review how specific types of human connection and attention to our choices (or lack thereof) can increase or undermine our level of happiness. I also discuss the importance of certain types of physical contact, gratitude, financial choices and volunteer contributions that research shows can maximize happiness. And I discuss how factors such as children, pets, physical well-being, substance use, prior traumas and life-phase milestones affect our quest for and depth of happiness.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Happiness

(00:06:27) Tool: Light Exposure Timing & Brightness Timing

(00:14:30) Sponsor: LMNT

(00:17:51) Imprecise Language for Happiness

(00:20:26) Happiness: Neuromodulators & Neurotransmitters

(00:26:32) Harvard Happiness Project

(00:29:22) Income & Happiness; Social Interactions & Peer Group

(00:37:20) Work, Sense of Meaning & Happiness

(00:40:13) Toolkit for General Wellbeing

(00:43:06) Happiness Across the Lifespan, Does Having Children Make Us Happier?

(00:47:20) Sponsor: AG1

(00:50:20) Birthdays & Evaluated Happiness

(00:52:45) Smoking, Alcohol & Happiness

(00:54:23) Trauma & Happiness, Lottery Winner vs. Paraplegic Accident

(01:05:05) Synthesizing Happiness

(01:09:18) Natural Happiness & Synthetic Happiness; Music

(01:13:45) Tool: Synthesizing Happiness: Effort, Environment & Gratitude

(01:24:50) Tool: Pro-Social Spending/Effort, Happiness

(01:31:55) Tool: Focus, Wandering Mind & Meditation

(01:39:40) Tool: Quality Social Connection

(01:41:28) Brief Social Connection, Facial Recognition & Predictability

(01:46:33) Deep Social Connection, Presence & Eye Contact

(01:54:00) Physical Contact & Social Connection, Allogrooming, Pets

(02:03:00) Freedom & Choice; Synthetic Happiness

(02:11:57) Happiness Toolkit

(02:22:00) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media

Disclaimer

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Happiness

(00:06:27) Tool: Light Exposure Timing & Brightness Timing

(00:14:30) Sponsor: LMNT

(00:17:51) Imprecise Language for Happiness

(00:20:26) Happiness: Neuromodulators & Neurotransmitters

(00:26:32) Harvard Happiness Project

(00:29:22) Income & Happiness; Social Interactions & Peer Group

(00:37:20) Work, Sense of Meaning & Happiness

(00:40:13) Toolkit for General Wellbeing

(00:43:06) Happiness Across the Lifespan, Does Having Children Make Us Happier?

(00:47:20) Sponsor: AG1

(00:50:20) Birthdays & Evaluated Happiness

(00:52:45) Smoking, Alcohol & Happiness

(00:54:23) Trauma & Happiness, Lottery Winner vs. Paraplegic Accident

(01:05:05) Synthesizing Happiness

(01:09:18) Natural Happiness & Synthetic Happiness; Music

(01:13:45) Tool: Synthesizing Happiness: Effort, Environment & Gratitude

(01:24:50) Tool: Pro-Social Spending/Effort, Happiness

(01:31:55) Tool: Focus, Wandering Mind & Meditation

(01:39:40) Tool: Quality Social Connection

(01:41:28) Brief Social Connection, Facial Recognition & Predictability

(01:46:33) Deep Social Connection, Presence & Eye Contact

(01:54:00) Physical Contact & Social Connection, Allogrooming, Pets

(02:03:00) Freedom & Choice; Synthetic Happiness

(02:11:57) Happiness Toolkit

(02:22:00) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media

Disclaimer

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Previous Episode

LIVE EVENT Q&A: Dr. Andrew Huberman at The Wiltern in Los Angeles

Recently I had the pleasure of hosting a live event in Los Angeles, CA. This event was part of a lecture series called The Brain Body Contract. My favorite part of the evening was the question & answer period, where I had the opportunity to answer questions from the attendees of each event. Included here is the Q&A from our event at The Wiltern.

Get notified when new live events are announced: https://hubermanlab.com/tour

Thank you to our sponsors

Eight Sleep: https://eightsleep.com/huberman

Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:00:52) Sponsors: Eight Sleep & Momentous

(00:02:23) What Occurs in the Mind/Body When You Have ADHD? Are There Ways to Address It Without Medication?

(00:11:55) As a Teenager, What Are 5 Things You Would Recommend to Physically Feel My Best?

(00:14:42) Should We Wait to Feel the Rise of Adrenaline and the Fall of It Before Bailing From Cold Water?

(00:24:03) What Is the Competing Mechanism Behind Bilateral Eye Movement (EMDR & Walking) That Helps Resolve Psychological Trauma?

(00:28:07) What New Research or Interventions Are You Most Excited About in the Health & Wellness Realm?

(00:37:30) What Lessons From Skateboarding Have You Learned That Can Be Applied to Neuroscience?

(00:39:03) Favorite Feynman Story

(00:42:10) Do You Suppose This Physiological Stress Regulator Transcends Species?

(00:47:20) Is There Any Science Behind Staying Motivated or Developing Discipline?

(00:50:48) What Would Be Your Biggest Piece of Advice for Achieving One's Dreams?

(00:57:09) What's Your Opinion on Psilocybin?

(01:01:07) Why Does My Desire to Eat Disappear After I Use the Sauna?

(01:02:26) Conclusion

Huberman Lab is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

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Next Episode

Dr. Chris Palmer: Diet & Nutrition for Mental Health

My guest this episode is Chris Palmer, M.D., a board-certified psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He explains the important connection between nutrition, metabolism and mental health and his pioneering work using the ketogenic diet to successfully treat patients with various mental illnesses, including depression and schizophrenia. Dr. Palmer explains how the ketogenic diet is an evidenced-based treatment for epilepsy, mimics the fasted state and can offset the cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s. He describes the key roles of mitochondria in mental health, how certain conditions likely arise from mitochondrial dysfunction, and how low-carbohydrate diets increase mitochondrial turnover to improve mental health. He also explains how low-carbohydrate diets positively impact the gut microbiome and weight loss, important risk factors for mitochondrial health such as marijuana and alcohol, and the best way to increase circulating ketones depending on individual needs. We also cover how a ketogenic diet impacts mood, sleep, and fertility. Dr. Palmer’s work stands as a revolutionary approach to mental health and disease that, given the prevalence of mental health challenges, should be of interest to people of all backgrounds and ages.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.